BADBADNOTGOOD & GHOSTFACE KILLAH, Sour Soul
It is perhaps one of the most unique collaborations you will hear in this or any year. Sour Soul is the short album brought to you by Toronto rock/hip hop instrumentalists BADBADNOTGOOD (BBNG) and former Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, who has gone on to be a respected and sought-after soloist in his own right these last two decades. Sour Soul (due for release February 23) is BBNG’s fourth album in so many years, and their love for hip hop music through their live performances has won them the admiration of the rock and R&B/hip hop communities. So while an album with someone like Ghostface Killah might seem a no brainer, it’s still quite exciting to see that it all came together so successfully. It actually takes rap and hip hop back before the mid-1990’s, before all of the ubiquitous ‘featuring [insert rapper]’ billings took place. Run-DMC re-recorded “Walk This Way” with Aerosmith, The Beastie Boys brought punk sensabilities to their rap/hip hop style, Public Enemy re-recorded “Bring The Noise” with Anthrax, and LL Cool J rocked out with “Mama Said Knock You Out”. It makes you wonder what would have happened if a well-known rapper, say like LL Cool J, had worked with a band like BBNG, who specialize in larger-than-life cinemascopes in their instrumentals, and how the storytelling might have made a different impact. In 2015, BBNG and Ghostface Killah are preaching to the converted who are starving for this kind of powerful originality. It’s hard to pick out a standout song, because they all flow so well, but start with “Ray Gun” (above), “Six Degrees”, “Gunshowers”, and “Street Knowledge”. Look for Sour Soul to be much imitated and revered in the coming years.
BILLCSMUSIC BLOG 